


That One "I've Thought You Were a Ghost For the Last Four Months" AU

by SecretMaker



Series: That One AU [5]
Category: Free!
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-13
Updated: 2015-05-13
Packaged: 2018-03-30 09:58:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3932524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretMaker/pseuds/SecretMaker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto needs new friends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That One "I've Thought You Were a Ghost For the Last Four Months" AU

5-7-15

Prompt: “I thought you were a ghost for the last four months” au

Pairing: None

Rating: G

 

               “I’m telling you, Haru, my place is _haunted,_ ” Makoto whined. He was holed up in the bathroom of his tiny new apartment in Tokyo, the phone pressed tightly to his ear and a rolling pin which had seemed much larger when he’d grabbed it in his other hand.

 

               Haru sighed on the other line, and Makoto could all but feel him rolling his eyes. “Makoto,” he said tersely.

 

               “I _know_ there’s no such thing as ghosts, Haru-chan,” Makoto insisted, “but I’m telling you there is _something_ here. Haru-chan?” There was silence on the other line. “Haru, did you hang up on me?” Makoto checked his phone and groaned. “See if I buy you anymore mackerel,” he muttered to himself, snapping his phone closed and shoving it in his pocket. He shifted his grip on the rolling pin and opened the door slowly.

 

               Everything seemed normal. For now, anyway. If Makoto decided to sleep with the rolling pin under his pillow, well. That wasn’t really anybody’s business anyway.

 

 

 

               As the months passed, Makoto grew accustomed to the sound of grunts of pain and soft singing filtering into his bedroom. He had tried asking the ghost if he was okay, if he was in pain and if there was anything Makoto could do to help, but he received no reply. So Makoto went about his life as he had before, largely ignoring the paranormal presence in his apartment.

 

               “Makoto,” Rin said slowly one night as Makoto cleaned up the remains of their dinner, “why do you have notes telling ‘Mr. Ghost’ what your schedule is for the next week?” Makoto glanced behind him, largely ignoring Haru’s light snicker, and smiled.

 

               “I figured it would be polite,” he said. “That way I’m not just some random person barging in and out of his apartment. It makes us more like roommates.”

 

               “Makoto,” Rin said slowly, “why do you think this isn’t your apartment?”

 

               “It is,” Makoto answered as he stacked his plates to dry.

 

               “He thinks it’s haunted,” Haru inserted.

 

               “It is,” Makoto agreed. “I’m just trying to be polite. It’s not Mr. Ghost’s fault he’s stuck here, after all.” He turned around to find Rin and Haru staring at him incredulously.

 

               “Makoto,” Rin said slowly, “you know there’s no such thing as ghosts, right?” Makoto chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck.

 

               “I know, Rin,” he said, “but I can’t think of any other explanation. I keep hearing this voice, singing or talking or just making noise. I can’t ever make out what he’s saying, but it’s always the same voice, so I just figured, you know. Plus, things keep moving around my apartment.” Haru looked a little surprised at that, so Makoto continued on eagerly, “Like last night, I left my keys in the little dish you got me, Haru-chan, and this morning when I went to look for them, they were on the dining room table!”

 

               “Makoto, you’re just messy,” Haru said.

 

               “Go back to the voice,” Rin interrupted. There was something just a little too gleeful in his voice. “Does it only happen in one part of your apartment? Or is it all over?” Makoto thought for a moment.

 

               “Well, it’s usually over near this half,” he said, gesturing to the wall that connected the kitchen, dining nook, and living room. Rin stared at him for a moment, then threw his head back and laughed.

 

               “Oh my god, Mako,” he gasped. “Oh my god, I can’t believe this. You’re serious!”

 

               “I am,” Makoto said, not sure if he was answering Rin or reassuring himself. Rin, still laughing, walked over to the wall and banged on it.

 

               “Oi, come over here, Sou!” he shouted.

 

               Mr. Ghost started grumbling then, and Makoto jumped. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

 

               “You’re gonna have to let me in, Rin,” came a voice that was more familiar than Makoto had realized. Rin grinned and walked over to the door, opening it to reveal a disgruntled Sousuke, hair mussed and clad in pajamas.

 

               “But-“ Makoto said, staring at Sousuke in his doorway. “But I thought-“

 

               “Makoto, did you seriously not realize you lived next door to Sousuke?” Rin was still laughing.

 

               “No!” Makoto screeched. “I’ve never seen him! He never makes noise, how was I supposed to know he was there?!” By this point, Haru was laughing at him too, and there was nothing to be done. He gathered up the tattered ends of his pride, his rolling pin, and a bottle of water and stormed off into his bedroom. The sound of laughter followed him long after he slammed the door and started pretending he had no friends.

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](http://notsuchasecret.tumblr.com) I guess.


End file.
